An axle assembly for a vehicle includes an axle shaft having a bolt end and a lever end. The axle assembly includes a cam assembly coupled to the lever end of the axle shaft. The cam assembly includes a cam housing, a cam follower shaft coupled to the cam housing, and the cam follower shaft is located within the axle shaft. The cam follower shaft does not extend the full length of the axle shaft. The cam shaft is coupled to the cam follower shaft, and a lever is coupled to the cam assembly. The lever is rotatable from an open position to a closed position, and an angle of maximum rotation for the lever between the open position and the closed position is less than 180 degrees.

A quick release mechanism for a wheel includes a hub and a clip, which interact with a wheel or roller that may or may not be part of the invention per se. The hub is disposable on a drive shaft such that it will rotate with the drive shaft. An optional hub cap is disposable on the wheel and has an opening that is complimentary to the geometry of the hub to allow engagement thereof such that the hub the hub cap rotate together. The clip is disposable on the hub in a closed or an open position so that the hub cap cannot or can be removed from the hub.

A wheel for a bicycle, or other human powerable vehicle, has a hub that includes: (a) an axle for attachment to a bicycle frame; (b) a set of bearings that connect the axle to a rotating sleeve; and (c) at least three connection points fixedly connected to the rotating sleeve. The connection points are used to detachably attach an annular module to the hub using attachment elements that each comprise conical frustum surfaces. The attachment elements are configured to axially press a portion of the hub to a portion of the annular module, as well as radially aligning the hub to the annular module. The annular module also has a set of spoke attachment points configured for tensioned spokes that connect the annular module to a wheel rim. The spoke attachment points are in a circular configuration on two parallel offset planes that are perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rim.

A hub and a wheel having such a hub are provided. The hub includes a hub shell and an axle to rotatably receive the hub shell. The hub shell is provided with circumferential hub flanges serving for accommodation and defined orientation of a plurality of spokes. Each of the spokes has a spoke body and a spoke head. The hub flanges include a plurality of accommodation sections receiving a spoke head each. Each of the accommodation sections has one spoke feed-through assigned to it through which an accommodated spoke can be guided out of the accommodation section. The hub flange includes two different types of accommodation sections. A first type includes a circumferentially closed spoke feed-through and a second type, a circumferentially opened spoke feed-through.

A quick release mechanism for a wheel includes a hub and a clip, which interact with a wheel or roller that may or may not be part of the invention per se. The hub is disposable on a drive shaft such that it will rotate with the drive shaft. An optional hub cap is disposable on the wheel and has an opening that is complimentary to the geometry of the hub to allow engagement thereof such that the hub the hub cap rotate together. The clip is disposable on the hub in a closed or an open position so that the hub cap cannot or can be removed from the hub.

An adjustable axle retaining structure is disclosed. The structure includes an axle receiving feature on a first leg of a fork assembly and a retaining sleeve within a clamping member on a second leg of the fork assembly. An axle is inserted through the clamping member, the wheel hub and coupled with the axle receiving feature. A component of the axle is tightened thereby moving the retaining sleeve partially out of the clamping member and toward the wheel hub until the wheel hub is in contact with both the retaining sleeve and the axle receiving feature, wherein the moving of the retaining sleeve allows the axle to radially couple the wheel hub with the fork assembly without modifying a preestablished geometry of the fork assembly.

A bicycle comprising a frame supported on front and rear wheels. A left wheel support includes a left hole and a left slot extending through the left wheel support to cooperatively form a left keyhole through the left wheel support. A right wheel support includes a right hole and a right slot extending through the right wheel support to cooperatively form a right keyhole through the right wheel support. A left spacer may be removably positioned in the left keyhole and include a left axle hole with a drive flat and a left torque arm positioned in the left slot. A right spacer may be removably positioned in the left keyhole and include a right axle hole with a drive flat and a right torque arm positioned in the right slot. A method is also disclosed for converting a bicycle having a first wheel type to a bicycle having a second wheel type.

A bicycle hub and spoke arrangement is provided. The bicycle hub and spoke arrangement includes a bicycle axle supported for rotation by a hub shaft. A plurality of flanges extend radially from the hub shaft. Each of the plurality of flanges has a plurality of apertures. A plurality of spokes, each having a first end, an opposing second end and a body extending therebetween. The second end of each of the plurality of spokes is connected to an outer rim. The first end of each of the plurality of spokes is connected to one of the plurality of circumferentially oriented apertures of the plurality of flanges in a manner such as to create three areas of contact between the first end of each of the plurality of spokes and the associated flange, thereby strengthening a J bend area of the spoke and address spoke failure and shimmy.

A wheel for a bicycle, or other human powerable vehicle, has a hub that includes: (a) an axle for attachment to a bicycle frame; (b) a set of bearings that connect the axle to a rotating sleeve; and (c) at least three connection points fixedly connected to the rotating sleeve. The connection points are used to detachably attach an annular module to the hub using attachment elements that each comprise conical frustum surfaces. The attachment elements are configured to axially press a portion of the hub to a portion of the annular module, as well as radially aligning the hub to the annular module. The annular module also has a set of spoke attachment points configured for tensioned spokes that connect the annular module to a wheel rim. The spoke attachment points are in a circular configuration on two parallel offset planes that are perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rim.

A silent hub structure includes a hub housing, an interlocking ring, a detent ring and a cassette base. The interlocking ring is installed inside the hub housing and has a central through-hole slot therein through which a detent ring is rotatably disposed therethrough. The through-hole slot is internally and circumferentially provided with a plurality of receiving grooves recessed at an equal distance therebetween on the internal wall. Each of these receiving grooves is disposed with a metal roller pin along the axial direction. The forward-rotating direction side of every receiving groove forms a clamping portion; a magnetic member is disposed in the interlocking ring near the clamping portion of each of the receiving groove separately, whereas the backward-rotating direction side of every receiving groove forms a releasing portion.